Spring suspension for motor-vehicles.



- E A. NELSON. v SPRING SUSPENSION FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED DEC-1711914.

Pdtentgd Jan. 29, 1918.

ml! eL-son vi/hwmo 11 CH UNITED sTA'rEs PATENT EMIL A. NELSON, OF RONVILLE, MICHIGAN.

To all "whom it may concern:

"Be it known that 1, EMU. A. Nelson, a citizen of'the United States of l \meriea, re-

siding at Ronville, in the county of lV-ayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Suspensions for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the aeeom ninying drawings.

This invention relates to a spring construction particularly designed for motor vehicles, and the primary object. of my in vention is to provide a simple. and ineX 15,.pensive construction wherein a vehicle body or frame supported or suspended by a spring in accordance with this invention will be cushioned against excessive movements in both lateral and vertical directions relative to .a chassis.

Another object of this invention is to provide aspringsuspension embodying a spring of the. cantaliver type having involute ends constructed andarranged*- to prevent the transmission of vibrations to the vehicle framertinbody from the axle or rum'iing' gear thereof andto resist rebound upon heavy flexure of the spring.

In attaining the above and, other objects,

80 the spring suspension has beenconstructed with a view of reducing the cost oi manufacture and at. the same time of retaining the features whereby road worthiness, safety, simplicity and ease of fabrication are se- 85 cured. lVith these and other ends in view, myinvention resides in the novel construe tion to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now Figure 1 is a plan View of a motor vehicle chassis provided with a spring construction embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same; and I Fig. 3 afront end elevation. I

Tn thc drawings the reference numeral 1 denotes ,a icame or body of any suitable con struction and connected to the front end thereof is a cross spring 9 of the semielliptic type formed with involute coils or springs at its ends, the innermost convolution of'each of which is mounted to turn upon a pin or hearing member secured bebe had to the draw- ,6 6 .tweenflparallejllears 10 on the upper ends of steering knuckles 11 carryingthe front Specification of Letters Patent.

convolute end is SPRING SUSPENSION EOR MOTOR-VEHICLES Patented Jan. 29,1918.

Application filed December 17, 1914. Serial No. 577,654.

steering wheels 12. The knuckles 11 are connected in any suitable manner by the front axle l3 and the spring is ri idly secured intermediate its ends to the fi'ont end of the frame by a clip 14 or other suitable means.

The involute coils at the ends of the spring 5) each comprises a plurality of'convolutions closely assembled and. capable of 85 distention and retraction. it. is the winding and unwinding of the convolutions that're' tards various movements of'the frame Land absorbs the vibrations of'the axle, preventing their ll'fU'lSllliSSlOll to the frame or 'body of the vehicle and also tends to prevent rcbound of the springs under extreme tlexure. in a like manner lateral moven'ienbof the frame 1 in either direction is yieldingly resisted by the involute ends of the spring when said spring is arranged tlttI-tSVBl'SGlY of the frame, as shown in Fig. 3, and when the springs are arranged longitudinallyof the frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,"end motion of said frame is yieldingly resisted- 3 by each convolution. Upon compression of the springs under load, a returnmovement, of the frame is cushioned by the involute ends of the springs andit is also apparent that the ends serve the purpose of the com- 35 mon forms of shock absorbers, and obviate the necessity for spring'hangers or links for connecting one or both ends of the springs to their support to permit said springs to straighten out or expand under-load. w

To hold the front axle in proper transverse relation to the frameythe usual radius or brace rods are ('lispen'sed wit-handspring members 15 substituted therefor,=thcse mean I bers each comprising a quarter elliptic leafv e5 spring with a c'onvolute end or coil; The rigid end of each'spring 15 is rigidly secured, by means of a bracket 16 to one side of the frame 1 or to any suitable member connected thereto, and extends forwardly therefrom toa point adjacent the front axle "where-its pivotally attached to the axle by means of a pivot pin or bolt 17 passing through suitable bearing cars 18 on tho axle. and through the sleeve (3 'inthe'eye :5'i105 of the coil. l. rei.erably these springs- 15 are each extended forwardly at an angle to the longitudinal sit lemembers of the frame to bring the point ofattaelnnent of each spring to the axle as 'ncar'thc' end orcuo knuckle thereof as practicable to better brace the axle and atthe same tithe permit the wheel to turn with the necessary radius of movement upon the knuckles in steering the vehicle.

By substituting these springs 15 for the radius rods commonly employed to hold the axle, the necessity for universal joints is obviated due to the yield of the springs and their end coils, and said springs also serve to assist in supporting the load. The slight 1 is shown as supported upon cantaliver springs 19 each comprising a leaf spring body portion having convolute ends, the body being pivotally attached to the frame by means of a stud 20 in the usual manner and the forward convolute end, by means of a stud 21 on the frame. The rear convolute end of each spring is attached to the rear axle casing 8, preferably, by providing a sleeve 22 to turn on the casing and forming the eye of the coil. The convolute ends of the cantaliver spring thus formconvenient means foryieldingly and pivotally attaching said ends to the frame and axle.

Obviously the spring embodying the in vention may be embodied in other arrangements "of "spring suspension, and other changes in the form or construction of said spring may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention. I do not therefore limit myself to the form, construction or arrangement shown. What I claim is 1 1. A new article of manufacture, compris-- ing a cantaliver spring having involute ends, means for pivotall attaching said spring intern'iediate itson s to a member to be supported thereby, said member being so located as to provide a spring with a ion and a short arm, means for connecting t einvolute end of the short arm of said spring to said member to be supported, and means for connecting the involute end of-the long arm of said member to a supporting member.

2. The combination with a vehicle frame and running gear therefor, of a cantaliver spring having involute ends, means onv the frame for pivotally connecting the spring intermediate the ends thereof to said frame at a point to provide a long arm at one end of the spring and a short arm at the opposite end, rigid means for attaching the eye of the involute end of the short arm of the spring to said frame, and rigid means for connecting the eye of the involute end of the long arm of the spring to a member of the running gear. a

In testimon whereof I affix my signature in presence 0 two witnesse EMIL A. NELSON.

Witnesses a G. E. MCGRANN,

L. E. FLANDERS. 

